The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for forming shaped popcorn products, specifically to methods and apparatus for forming popcorn bars, and particularly to methods and apparatus for forming coated popcorn bars.
With the increasing awareness of nutrition and healthy eating, popcorn has become increasingly popular as a snack. Typically, kernel popcorn is popped such as in a microwave oven and consumed as popped popcorn. It can then be appreciated that in addition to the time and effort required to pop the kernel popcorn, popped popcorn is also not as easily handled and consumed as other snack products such as candy bars or the like which can be stored for indefinite time periods, can be easily transported in a pocket, brief case, lunchpail, or the like, and can be immediately consumed when removed from the wrapper or other packaging.
Although popcorn balls and other shaped popped popcorn products such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,233 exist, such products have not achieved significant market success. Specifically, in addition to taste and other market appeal factors including handling and aesthetics, the shapes of the products are made by compression in stamping, molding, or similar devices, either manually or mechanically. Such methods of manufacture increase the cost of the product and detract from their competitiveness with other types of snack-type foods.
Thus, a need exists for shaped popcorn products which overcome the disadvantages and limitations of prior popcorn balls and other shaped popcorn products and provide a healthy, competitive alternative to other types of snack-type foods. In this respect, it is an aim to provide unique methods and apparatus for forming shaped popcorn products and in particular popcorn bars.